1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to user-configurable integrated circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to an architecture for user-configurable integrated circuits including an array of functional circuit modules overlayed by a plurality of interconnect layers between which are located a plurality of user-programmable interconnect elements.
2. The Prior Art
Presently-known user-configurable circuit architectures include a plurality of functional circuit modules disposed upon a semiconductor substrate. The functional modules are separated by spaces which contain one or more channels of conductors which serve as interconnect elements as well as a plurality of pass transistors which serve to temporarily connect together selected ones of the conductors for use during both testing and the programming of a plurality of user-programmable interconnect elements which are also disposed in the substrate between the functional circuit elements. Examples of prior art user-configurable circuit architectures which employ one or more of these features include the architectures disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,745 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,487.
While architectures of the type disclosed in this prior art have proved to be useful, there remains room for improvement in speed and density of user-configurable circuit arrays.